Blind Spot
by Miharu-Watanabe
Summary: When two young hyenas are forced to flee from their home, they decide to settle in with a trio of new friends.
1. Intro

The young hyena just stood there, frozen with fear, as she listened to the agonizing screams. Several questions raced through her mind; why here? Why now? It seemed as if life had only just begun for her, and one thing she never imagined life without... were her parents. But faced with a situation like this, she knew everything would change.

Something sharp lightly sank into the cub's left ear, and through clenched teeth she heard a voice whisper, "Kameke, we have to get out of here."

Her body remained still as she turned her head slightly, keeping her focus on the frightful sounds. It wasn't long before her ear was being tugged on, forcing her to shift her attention to her older brother, Fitz. He released his grip on her ear and turned in the other direction, motioning for her to follow. "Come on," he said.

Kameke didn't move. "But... mom and dad-"

"Would want us to leave," Fitz interrupted. "Kam, if we stay, we'll be killed."

She thought about this for a moment. Better her than her parents. But by now it was too late. There was nothing left to do. And so, with the image of a blood-stained battlefield in her mind, she turned and carefully followed her brother across the plains.


	2. New Arrivals

It was so dark that night. Fitz couldn't see an inch in front of his nose. He kept looking down beside him to make sure Kameke was still there. Her safety was his number one priority.

"Fitz, where are we going?" The cub asked in a small voice.

"To find a new home," her brother replied. "I'm sure there is another clan out there who will accept us."

"Even me?"

Fitz smiled softly at his sister. "Yes. Even you."

After hours of walking through an endless stretch of deserted land, the two stopped, Fitz spotting something as he waited for the early morning mist to clear. When it did, he was awestruck. The entire area before them was a rocky wasteland, draped in shadow and littered with bones.

Kameke sniffed the air. "Smells like death..."

"It's an elephant graveyard." Fitz said, taking a step forward. "I'm going to take a closer look. Kam, you hide in here." He gently pushed her inside of one of the ribcages. "Keep as quiet as possible."

She nodded as he ventured off further into the fog. There was something about this place that felt... off. No matter how much it may have looked like a home, there was always a lingering uneasiness. Becoming frightened the more she thought about it, she started to back up, leaning against the backside of the cage.

Just a small amount of weight was all it took. Before she realized what was happening, Kameke had already fallen through and went tumbling down a pile of fossils. She continued to roll until a sudden collision brought her to a halt.

"Hey!" A female voice shouted. Kameke assumed it belonged to whoever she had just bumped into. "Can't you watch where you're goin'?"

"I... I wish I could. I'm sorry." The young hyena apologized.

"Whaddya mean you... oh..." the voice softened, the speaker just now noticing the cub was blind. "I, um..."

"Kameke!" Fitz called from a distance. He quickly ran down the hillside to find his sister with another hyena around her age, with dark gray fur and a spiky black mane. "There you are. And who is this?" He asked, turning his attention to the stranger.

"I'm Shenzi." She answered, looking back over at Kameke. "You two aren't from around here, are you?"

Fitz shook his head and told her how they had just lost their parents in a lion attack, and that they had wandered very far through the night in search of a new home. Stumbling upon the graveyard was merely a stroke of luck, but they were hoping it would suffice, at least for the time being.

As she listened to the story, Shenzi couldn't help but feel bad for the siblings, especially the blind one. "Well, it's alright by me," she started to say, "but you'd have to take it up with our pack leader. She makes the rules around here." Climbing up on the tusk of an elephant skull, she turned to them with a smile. "Follow me."

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><p><strong>(AN: Shenzi makes her debut! Any ideas for the matriarch's name?)**


	3. The Matriarch

Fitz grew more and more cautious as Shenzi led them deeper into the boneyard. Kameke was being carried securely in her brother's teeth, so to keep her from getting hurt. The path took them over yet another hill and eventually inside a large cavern. Unlike the outside, there were no elephant remains in sight. Rock formations of varying sizes covered the walls, and steam rose from crevices in the ground. A green haze coated the area like a cloud of toxic gas.

"This is what we call the geyser district." Shenzi explained. "Keep your sister close. We're almost there." Little did she know the sound of her voice would catch the attention of someone else.

"Yo, Shenzi!" She and Fitz looked upward to see a male hyena cub standing atop one of the rocks. He too had dark gray fur and a black mane. "Where ya been? I was lookin' all over for ya." He said, hopping down to greet his friend.

"Not now, Banzai. We have guests."

"Oh, who?"

The older hyena gently put his sister down before introducing himself. "My name is Fitz, and this is Kameke. We were hoping to speak with your pack leader about maybe settling here for a while."

"Oh, no problem," Banzai told him, "she's in the cave directly ahead."

"And I was taking them to her." Shenzi stated, nudging Banzai aside and continuing on her way. It was obvious by her attitude that she liked being the one in charge. Didn't appreciate anyone trying to steal her thunder.

Fitz and Kameke followed their guide until they reached the cave entrance. The latter seemed a bit nervous and shaken up, but Shenzi reassured her there was nothing to be afraid of. She understood how meeting an authority figure could be intimidating.

Fitz went in first, followed by the others. As he looked around, he could see many heads turning to observe him and his sister, either silently judging or whispering amongst themselves. But as unsettling a situation as it was, he did not let it bother him. He kept his head up and pushed on, making his way toward the throne-like structure in the middle of the area.

Atop it sat an older female hyena, with tawny fur and a rust-colored mane. Black stripes swirled around her front and back paws, and her dark eyes held a quality of softness behind them. She stood up as her guests approached.

"And who is this you have brought before me?" She asked. Her voice was gentle and calm.

"This is Fitz and his sister Kameke." Shenzi replied. "They were forced out of their home and wanted to stay with us for a while."

"It is an honor." Fitz said, bowing before his superior.

"I am Zalika, the matriarch of this clan. For nearly fifteen years now I have led and protected us, and never before have I had to make the decision of allowing an outsider into our territory, hyena or not." She made her way down to them to get a closer look. "You say you were driven from your home?"

"Yes, ma'am."

Zalika studied the two for a moment, noticing Kameke's eyes. "Very well," she began, climbing back upon the stone pedestal, "you may stay. However, you must be willing to work, as we all do. Food is becoming scarce, and you will be judged on your hunting skills."

Fitz blinked, obviously taken off-guard by her quick decision. "Forgive me, but... my sister..."

"I am aware of her condition." The matriarch stated. "But she must not let that hinder her other abilities or senses. She will train alongside my younger ones."

Kameke gave a single nod. "I'll... I'll do my best."

"Very good. Your first lesson begins in one hour."

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><p><strong>(AN: Thanks so much for the faves and follows! Your support is much appreciated and pushes me to keep writing!)**


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